How Peta Credlin has become the Liberal Party's 'great right hope'

By John Ruddick

On December 18, the member for the federal seat of Mallee, Andrew Broad, announced his retirement. Immediately, the name Peta Credlin appeared towards the end of reports on who will replace him.

Most assumed it would be a National Party member. Since its creation in 1949 Mallee has had just four members – all Nats. But the Coalition agreement permits both parties to contest a vacant seat and unlike NSW, the Victorian Liberals exercise that option. If Credlin took the seat, it would re-energise a dispirited conservative movement. She would be the "great right hope".

Peta Credlin, former chief of staff for Tony Abbott, is considered by some in the Liberal Party as its 'great right hope'.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Credlin has fierce critics but great leaders do. It strengthens them. Attacks on Credlin the political staffer were vague and just another front in the campaign to bring down her boss, Tony Abbott. The slights against her at that time are cancelled out by the electoral scoreboard. She was chief of staff to an opposition leader who was derided as unelectable. Within a year, Credlin played a leading role in helping Abbott almost defeat a first-term government, which hadn’t happened since 1931.

Indeed, Abbott morally won in 2010 but lost thanks to two ex-Nat independents who betrayed their electorates. At the next election Abbott crushed Labor and in his victory speech he thanked Credlin above all other politicos.

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Before the disastrous 2015 coup that cost her boss his job, Credlin was unwillingly in the headlines but barely anyone outside Canberra had even heard her voice. She was a mystery to most but since then she has catapulted to stardom in print, on television and at Liberal Party functions. I know a lot of party members and cannot think of any active Liberal identity who is more lionised. The conservative minority on Twitter erupted with jubilation at the prospect of Peta MP. Many felt certain it would soon morph into Peta PM.

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Credlin was born in, and spent half her childhood in, Wycheproof (central Mallee) but her family ties to the area go back to the mid-19th century, making the Credlins some of the first non-Aboriginal settlers.

The day after Broad’s resignation Mildura’s Sunraysia Daily reported the “president of the Mildura Liberal branch, Russell Lamattina, said Ms Credlin could attract more national attention to the contest for Mallee''. Mr Lamattina went on to say: ''No one has tried to get in touch with her because we don’t know how to”.

That evening John Howard held his Christmas Party. Abbott was overheard speaking and the next day the Herald reported: “Another partygoer informed us Abbott was in full praise of former chief of staff Peta Credlin, who he suggested should have a shot at Mallee.” Now we had hope.

On New Years’ Eve one of the biggest names in British media, Piers Morgan, stumbled across a Credlin video and tweeted to his 6.5 million followers, "Can we make this Aussie newsreader our PM with immediate effect?" High praise from an independent observer.

But still, silence from Credlin. Then on January 1, the summer host on her Sky News show, Peter Glesson, mentioned he’d spoken to Credlin and “she’s apparently being inundated with comments from others and text messages. She’s actually in the UK and thinks it’s hilarious.” Supporters would have preferred she was seen having a beer in Mildura. Again, hope was fading.

But on January 3, Jennifer Bechwati - until recently a colleague of Credlin at Sky - reported on Seven News: ‘‘Credlin is being encouraged to run for the Liberals. She’s getting lots of calls on Mallee but at the moment she’s enjoying her holiday.”

The next day in the Herald there was a contribution from the outgoing member for Mallee. Broad said: “Usually the better candidate wins in a contest between the Coalition partners. If the Liberals put a Peta Credlin up, they’ll be in with a red-hot shot.” Nats wouldn’t have appreciated his candour.

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On January 7, Aaron Patrick reported in The Australian Financial Review:“Liberal Party officials are eager to recruit Ms Credlin, who they believe could wrestle the rural-based seat from the Nationals' grip. Sources who know the former top aide to Tony Abbott say she is likely to run if the Nationals choose a weak candidate.”

This line sets up the narrative that if Credlin nominates she is effectively declaring the Nat a dud. Broad was only 43 and rising in Canberra, so there could not have been ambitious Nats angling for the seat.

Credlin is apparently waiting to see who the Nats preselect. If she nominates for Liberal preselection, who would run against this Amazonian? Likely no-one because, unlike in NSW, the Liberals in Victoria are democratic and all local members vote for candidates, which disempowers factional creeps.

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When her boss lost his job in 2015 it must have been a crushing blow, but Credlin picked herself up and immediately excelled in another cut-throat industry – the news media. She seems to relish it.

I barely know her, but my sense is that her passion is legislating sound policy. Anyway, so many politicians are so bland. Peta Credlin would be anything but. She could be the "Margaret Thatcher Down Under". Do it, Peta!